Medium and large sized organizations that interact with the public must frequently provide communication to certain individuals and groups which may be internal to the organization, external to the organization, or a combination of both. These communications may be in several forms. For example, direct mailings, emails, mobile messages, social media messages, fax messages, and various types of voice communications. Voice communications in particular may take the form of interactive incoming call management systems (interactive voice response and automated call distributions systems) and outgoing voice communication messages, either automatically delivered or performed from a script by persons associated with the organization. In addition to the various communication methods used, these communications may be one of several forms, for example, outgoing mail may take the form of general marketing material or material specific to an individual or group of individuals.
These communications are often largely uncoordinated across an organization resulting in inefficient use of resources and irritation or confusion amount the recipients of such messages. For example, many organizations are formed from several divisions. Because of the different business focus of these divisions, the messages that they provide may differ, with the potential to cause confusion, overload the recipient, and result in unnecessary expenditures to deliver duplicate or inconsistent messaging. In some circumstances, communications to a general audience may contradict messaging targeted towards a specific person or group of persons.
Depending upon the organization, a significant portion of an organization's budget may be consumed by the cost of the aforementioned communications. As such, an organization may wish to deploy one or more analysis methods to gauge the effectiveness of various messages and means of communicating those messages. However, unless there is a method for coordinating the messaging taking place, it may become extremely difficult for such an analysis effort to determine exactly which messages are responsible for generating a desired response. For example, a health care provider or similar organization may wish to offer incentives to its members in order to encourage participation in an exercise program. The organization may communicate information about these incentives via a posting on social media at the same time as it communicates the very same information in a billing insert. In such an example situation, it may be very difficult to determine which of the communication methods utilized may have generated the greatest level of increase in interest among the members of the organization. Additionally, in such a promotion, an organization may be aware of a health condition that would prevent a recipient from participating in the exercise program promoted. In these circumstances, the organization may wish to avoid communicating such an exercise program to those recipients which the organization knows are unable to participate.
What is needed is a system and method for managing the various messaging produced by an organization and communicated to a group of recipients. Additionally, a system and method is needed to analyze the resultant messaging in order to gauge its effectiveness.
In an embodiment of the invention, a messaging management system may be comprised of computerized components, such as an incoming message depository, a message analysis function, a message fulfillment function, archiving functions, and analytical and reporting functions.
In certain embodiments, the messaging management system may comprise an interactive message depot that facilitates a user's creation and editing of a message while considering applicable organizational communications rules.
Embodiments of the invention may also include the capability to coordinate messaging across the various groups within an organization to help prevent the creation and delivery of redundant or conflicting messages.
Embodiments of the invention may also comprise watchlist functionality which permits a user to configure one or more watchlist functions whereby the user may be alerted when a message is directed to a particular group or type of recipients.
Embodiments of the invention may also comprise reporting functionality which may be configured to analyze and report on the messaging history with regard to one or more contacts or message topics.
Further features and advantages of the devices and systems disclosed herein, as well as the structure and operation of various aspects of the present disclosure, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures.